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The Nike Cluster
May 16th, 2000 | View Post
On May 16th, 2000 Dave Guezuraga and I launched a new type of model rocket that we had never used before. Dave was the engineer behind this particular rocket and it would seem in hindsight that he crafted the machine rather well. The launch site was set at Zilker park and though the sunset made for some scenic views, it was only the result of us getting there late. As a note, it's usually not a good idea to launch model rockets at night if you expect to find them again.

We had a rather large crew / audience for this particular launch which consisted of Eric Zavesky, Klaus Wagner, Annie Van Zandt, and Dayna McKay. The schedule called for at least one test launch of the Nike Cluster, but time permitting, two would ultimately ensue.

To give a peek into the power of this rocket, this particular rocket flew on D engines, specifically D12-3 engines, but it happened to fly on 3 of them at once! It was roughly equivalent to 24 class A engines.

The Nike Cluster - Launch Number I


A bottom view showing off its 3 class D engine mounts
Launch Number: I
Launch Date: May 16th, 2000
Launch Time: 20:18
Launch Location: Zilker Park
Approx Landing Distance: 200 meters

How did we capture this footage?

If you happen to notice the glass looking thing sitting in the middle of the above bottom right picture, it is actually a 10-gallon aquarium. The purpose of having it was so that we could capture the footage that we did. Generally speaking, we would put it directly next to the launch pad with a video camera inside of it. For this particular shoot, the video camera was a Sony Digital 8mm. The aquarium simply helped to protect the camera from being destroyed.

The Nike Cluster - Launch Number II


The ignitor hits all three D12-3 engines at once
Launch Number: II
Launch Date: May 16th, 2000
Launch Time: 20:48
Launch Location: Zilker Park
Approx Landing Distance: 200 meters
Notes: Rocket barely recovered. Sustained damage from landing in a tree, lost parachute and nosecone

In the interest of science and exploration, why stop at one launch when you can do two? Truthfully, it was probably not a good idea for us to have gone ahead and launched the Nike Cluster a second time. The sun was almost down and it was apparent that recovering it may be somewhat of a problem. The video camera we used to capture the images happened to have nightvision on it and I suppose we figured we had some sort of an advantage over the night sky. We weren't entirely wrong.

It took about 30 minutes to recover the Nike Cluster from the first launch and have it prepped for launch II. It just so happens there would not be a launch number III.


In These Clouds
December 19th, 1999 | View Post
I wrote a new song over the Christmas break with my new 12-string guitar and made a little CD package for Dayna.

Track Listing

The front and inside jacket of the CD


The back of the CD jacket




In These Clouds
Written and Recorded December 1999
Music by Kevin Ludlow
12 String Guitars: Kevin Ludlow
Acoustic Guitars: Kevin Ludlow
Bass: Kevin Ludlow

Upset
Original Written March 1998
Rewritten and Recorded October 1999
Music by Kevin Ludlow
Guitars: Kevin Ludlow

Mushroom Finger Painting
November 17th, 1999 | View Post
This was a digital finger painting I had the pleasure of doing one night in my Speedway apartment.


Snow Covered
November 2nd, 1999 | View Post
One of the sagas of living with my good buddy, Klaus, over on Speedway was about a girl named Rebecca Marie Hays. I put together this little CD together for her one evening after recording "Dark Orange Fur" on my 12-string.

Unfortunately the drum track got a little off beat towards the end of the song, but such is self-recording.

Track Listing
Both of the photos from the CD were taken in New York City over spring break of 1999 (mid-March).


The front cover and inside jacked for "Snow Covered"


The back jacket of "Snow Covered".




Upset
Original Written March 1998
Rewritten and Recorded October 1999
Music by Kevin Ludlow
Guitars: Kevin Ludlow

Dark Orange Fur
Written and Recorded November 1999
Music by Kevin Ludlow
12 String Guitar: Kevin Ludlow
Electric Guitar: Kevin Ludlow
Keyboards (Echoes): Kevin Ludlow
Drums: Kevin Ludlow

Little Kid
Written and Recorded October 1999
Music by Kevin Ludlow and Christoph Wagner
Acoustic Guitar (Rhythym): Kevin Ludlow
Acoustic Guitar (Lead): Christoph Wagner
Bass: Kevin Ludlow

Film Students Suck Cock
August 20th, 1999 | View Post
After becoming increasingly disillusioned with what it means to be a film student at the University of Texas, I sat down and wrote this script. I have unfortunately not filmed it.

Script

GUY
Where are we?

GUY2
Well to be honest with you, we're just in a patch of woods somewhere in Texas. But you'd probably be better off telling your audience that we’re in some remote county in Maryland. Just for a thrill.

GUY NODS WITH A SMILE.

GUY
What are we doing here?

GUY2 LOOKS AT HIS WATCH. HE PUSHES GUY OUT OF THE WAY. A MOMENT LATER A RIFLE DROPS FROM THE SKY ONTO THE GROUND.

GUY2
Right on time.

GUY GETS BUG-EYED

GUY
I don’t know about this. I think they told us specifically NOT to use any guns.

GUY2
Yes - they did - didn't they? Hmmmm. Well maybe you should mention to those dumb fucks that filming your dick in a bed of flowers just doesn't sell these days - guns do. And when you're a famous filmmaker, you can stick the lens up your ass and pull out some artsy shit - until then - stand over there.

GUY2 PICKS UP THE GUN. GUYS WALKS OVER NEXT TO A TREE. GUY2 TOSSES HIM A GLASS BEER BOTTLE.

GUY2
Put in on your head.

GUY PLACES THE BOTTLE ON HIS HEAD. AND SMILES.

GUY
You sure this is a good idea?

GUY2
Trust me.

GUY2 SHOOTS THE BOTTLE. IT SHATTERS. GUY TAKES A FAKE SIGH OF RELIEF.

THE TWO GUYS ARE WALKING DOWN A ROAD.

GUY2
So ya see guy, people that study film are really nothing but a bunch of pretentious losers that think they can do what ever the fuck they want, whenever they fuck they want to. (beat) Watching a bunch of popular movies, making As on tests, and suckin on teachers cock won't make you any better at filmmaking – ya just have to love doing it – over and over and over.

THE TWO OF THEM WALK IN FRONT OF A CAR THAT IS SPEEDING DOWN THE ROAD. THEY FADE OUT A BIT AND THE CAR DRIVES RIGHT THROUGH THEM.

GUY
It's still amazing that we can do shit like this.

GUY2
Yea – tell me about it.

IN THE BACKGROUND A PERSON WALKS INTO THE STREET WHILE A SPEEDING CAR COMES DOWN THE ROAD HONKING IT’S HORN. THE TWO GUYS TURN BACK TO LOOK. THE PERSON GETS HIT BY THE CAR AND SPRAWLS OUT ON THE ROAD. THE GUYS SHAKE THEIR HEADS.

GUY2
What a fucking moron.

GUY
Film student?

GUY2
You're a quick learner guy.

THE SCENE FADES.

THE END
Logic Puzzle: 12 Balls, 3 Weighings
July 25th, 1999 | View Post

The traditional type of scale allowed for the weighings
While living in Manhattan I met a wonderfully brilliant scientist named Colleen Noviello. Besides being my own personal tour guide to the city and even up into New York, she was always interested in challenging me with puzzles and games of strategy (chess for example).

One afternoon she presented me with what she claimed to be one of the most difficult logic puzzles she had ever attempted. Evidently her father had given her this at one point. I honestly can't remember if she ever managed to solve it or not, but I spent the next couple of days playing with it and much to my joy, eventually solving it.

The puzzle and my solution are below.

Puzzle:
There are 12 balls.  One of them is either heavier or lighter then the other 11.  Assume that you have access to a traditional balance scale (one side is weighed against the other). Using only three weighing, determine which ball is off weight AND if it is heavier or lighter than the rest of the balls.

Solution for a 4x4x4 grouping:

Start by numbering the balls 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12. Because they can be re-arranged in any order without losing our principle, we can defer to the standard mathematical concept of WLOG (without loss of generality).

Step One

First Possibility: 1 2 3 4 > 5 6 7 8
1,2,3,4 are greater or 5,6,7,8 are lighter (9,10,11,12 are equal)

Second Possibility: 1 2 3 4 < 5 6 7 8
1,2,3,4 are lighter or 5,6,7,8 are heavier (9,10,11,12 are equal)

Third Possibility: 1 2 3 4 = 5 6 7 8
9,10,11,12 are either heavier or lighter (1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8 are equal)


Step Two of First Possibility

First Possibility: 1 2 5 11 > 3 4 6 12
1,2 are heavier or 6 is lighter

Second Possibility: 1 2 5 11 < 3 4 6 12
5 is lighter or 3,4 are greater

Third Possibility: 1 2 5 11 = 3 4 6 12
7,8 are lighter

Step Two of Second Possibility

First Possibility: 5 6 1 11 > 7 8 2 12
5,6 are greater or 2 is lighter

Second Possibility: 5 6 1 11 < 7 8 2 12
1 is lighter or 7,8 are greater

Third Possibility: 5 6 1 11 = 7 8 2 12
3,4 are lighter

Step Two of Third Possibility

First Possibility: 9 10 1 > 11 2 3
9,10 are greater or 11 is lighter

Second Possibility: 9 10 1 < 11 2 3
9,10 are lighter or 11 is greater

Third Possibility: 9 10 1 = 11 2 3
12 is either lighter or heavier

Step Three of First Possibility of First Possibility

First Possibility: 1 6 > 11 12
1 is the heavier ball

Second Possibility: 1 6 < 11 12
6 is the lighter ball

Third Possibility: 1 6 = 11 12
2 is the heavier ball

Step Three of Second Possibility of First Possibility

First Possibility: 3 5 > 11 12
3 is the heavier ball

Second Possibility: 3 5 < 11 12
5 is the lighter ball

Third Possibility: 3 5 = 11 12
4 is the heavier ball

Step Three of Third Possibility of First Possibility

First Possibility: 7 < 12
7 is the lighter ball

Second Possibility: 7 = 12
8 is the lighter ball

Step Three of First Possibility of Second Possibility

First Possibility: 5 2 > 11 12
5 is the heavier ball

Second Possibility: 5 2 < 11 12
2 is the lighter ball

Third Possibility: 5 2 = 11 12
6 is the heavier ball

Step Three of Second Possibility of Second Possibility

First Possibility: 1 7 > 11 12
7 is the heavier ball

Second Possibility: 1 7 < 11 12
1 is the lighter ball

Third Possibility: 1 7 = 11 12
8 is the heavier ball

Step Three of Third Possibility of Second Possibility

First Possibility: 3 < 12
3 is the lighter ball

Second Possibility: 3 = 12
4 is the lighter ball

Step Three of First Possibility of Third Possibility

First Possibility: 9 11 > 1 2
9 is the heavier ball

Second Possibility: 9 11 < 1 2
11 is the lighter ball

Third Possibility: 9 11 = 1 2
10 is the heavier ball

Step Three of Second Possibility of Third Possibility

First Possibility: 9 11 > 1 2
11 is the heavier ball

Second Possibility: 9 11 < 1 2
9 is the lighter ball

Third Possibility: 9 11 = 1 2
10 is the lighter ball

Step Three of Third Possibility of Third Possibility

First Possibility: 12 > 1
12 is the heavier ball

Second Possibility: 12 < 1
12 is the lighter ball

Solution started on Thursday July 22, 1999 @ approximately 12:00 AM EST

Solution completed on Sunday July 25, 1999 @ 7:44PM EST

Time of solution was approximately 3 days 19 hours and 44 minutes